Theophilus Jones (historian) facts for kids

Portrait of Theophilus Jones – Welsh lawyer, known as a historian of Brecknockshire

Theophilus Jones (born October 18, 1758 – died January 15, 1812) was a Welsh lawyer. He is best known as a historian. He wrote important books about the history of Brecknockshire, a county in Wales.

About Theophilus Jones

Theophilus Jones was born in 1758. His father, Hugh Jones, was a vicar and church official in Brecknockshire. His mother, Elinor, was the daughter of another historian, Theophilus Evans.

For many years, Theophilus Jones worked as a solicitor in Brecon. A solicitor is a type of lawyer who helps people with legal matters. When his father passed away, Jones gained more financial security. He also became a deputy-registrar for the church area of Brecon. In 1808, he sold his law business. This allowed him to focus more on his writing and historical research.

Jones married Mary Price in 1783. He passed away on January 15, 1812. He was buried in the church of Llangammarch. His wife, Mary, passed away later in 1828.

His Writings and History Books

Theophilus Jones is most famous for his book, History of the County of Brecknock. This book tells the story of Brecknockshire. It was published in two parts in 1805 and 1809.

This important history book was printed again in 1898. Later, it was made much bigger and published in four parts. This new edition came out between 1909 and 1930.

Jones also wrote articles for magazines. These articles were about old objects and history. He published two papers in the Cambrian Register in 1795 and 1796. Another paper appeared in Archaeologia in 1814. He had plans to write a history of Radnorshire, another Welsh county, but he never finished it. He also started translating a Welsh story called Gweledigaethau y Bardd Cwsg.